Electric switch



(NoM0de 1.)

P. A. WELLER 82; A. F. RIETZEL.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

. Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

P\ Imlnhogmphw. Washmgiom o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLTN A. VELLER AND ADOLPH F. RIETZEL, OF LYNN, MAS ACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters P atent No. 398,561, dated February 26, 1889.

Application filed December 26, 1888. Serial No. 294,619. (No model-l .L 0 all (L b/07w it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANKLlN A. WELLER and ADOLPH F. RIETZEL, both of Lynn, in the county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electric Switches, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and

exact to enable any person skilled in the art Our invention relates to that class of switches especially adapted for use with elec- 1 tric-light wires, and known as double-pole switches, and it consists in certain novel features, as hereinafter claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and otherwise more effective device than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improve-- ment will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation In the drawings, A represents the switch 1 table or body, and B the cap or case.

"he table consists of the circular wooden plate common in switches of this class, and is chambered at b on its under side, and provided with screw-lmles (I, by which it may be readily secured in the position desired,

A metallic bcd-plate.f, secured to the face of the table by screws 9 and extends transversely across the same. A verticallyarranged metallic standard, I), preferably circular in form, is secured centrally to the plate f, and fitted to slide on said standard there is a metallic tube, 1'. A horizontally-arrangcd metallic strip, j, is secured centrally to the top of the tube 1 and projects laterally from each side thereof, the ends of said strip or plate being bent back against the body thereof and fully set forth and secured thereto by screws it, as best shown in Fig. 1. A metallic plunger, Z,(see Fig. 4,) preferably composed of a single plate of phosphorbronze bent into the shape of the letter 11, when viewed in side elevation, is secured by its upper end in each end of the plate j, being clamped therein by means of the screw it, and thereby rendered vertically adj ust-able.

Insulating material m, preferably indn rated fiber, is interposed between the plungers and plates j. Two phosphor-bronze plates, 12 q, are secured to the table A by screws 0' t at each side of and parallel with the bed-plate f, the rear screws, t, being provided with washers v for clampin the conducting-wires N P onto the plates p q, said screws serving as poles or connectors for said wires, which pass upward through opcnin gs "LU in the table. The adjacent free ends of the plates 2) q are bent vertically upward, (see Fig. 4,) forming sockets 15 for the pl ungers I.

A horizontally-arranged lever, D, is pivoted on a screw-bolt, 25, disposed in the forward portion of the table A and plate f, said lever being provided with a handle, 35, on its outer end, and having its inner end, 55, bent upward and outward, as shown in Fig. 3.

A flat spring, 4-5, (see Fig. 3,) is secured by one end in the handle 35, and is provided with a cup-shaped head, which bears against the head of the bolt 25, its purpose being to prevent the lever D from being accidentally moved on said bolt.

A spring, 05, consisting of a finely-tempered piece of wire bent to form a head, 75, which is arranged diagonally to thehorizontal plane of the lever D, is secured by a screw, 85, and washer 95 to the, end of said lever.

A vertical post, 14, is secured to the bedplate 1 in front of the standard 11, said post being provided on its upper end with an outwardly-p rojecting arm, '21, which projects into the path of the head of the spring 05, the course of which is represented by the dotted line Si in Fig. 1.

Two ontwardly-projecting arms, ll and 51-, are secured to the tube 1 in position to be en ga-ged by the head of the spring 65, as hereinafter described, the arm at being farther from the bed-plate than the arm 51L.

The guide-rod 6i is secured by one end to the rear of the tube i, said rod projecting downward through an opening, 74, in the bedplate and table. The rod 64 is fitted to work vertically in one end of a forked plate, 84, secured by a set-screw, 94, to the bed-plate f, the purpose of said plate 84 being to secure the guide-rod in position, and thereby adjust the plate j, in which the plungers are secured, the opening 74 in the table being of sufficient width to allow lateral movement of said guiderod.

A verticallyarranged spring, 13, is secured to the bed-plate and engages the upper portion of the guide-rod, its purpose being to prevent the tube 2' from being accidentally I moved on the standard 71.

The cap or case B is designed to inclose the device upon the table A, and is secured thereon by a screw, 23, in the top of the standard h, which projects through a slot in the top of said case. The cap is also provided with an opening in its side, through which the lever D projects. A washer, 33, disposed on the screw 23, serves as a stop to prevent the tube 2 from being elevated too far.

In Figs. 2, 3, and 4 the tube 2 is represented as elevated on the standard h and the plungers Z disconnected from their sockets 15. lVhen the switch is in this position, if it is desired to close the circuit, the handle of the lever D is moved from left to right, causing the diagonally-arranged head 75 of the spring 65 to ride over the arm 24 of the post 14, which forces said spring upward, so that in resuming its normal position after leaving said arm it will forcibly strike the arm 54 on the lever D is moved in the opposite directhe tube '2? and drive said tube downward on the standard 71, thereby bringing the plun- 1 gets Z into contact with the plates forming l their sockets, the parts assuming the position 3 shown in Fig. 1. Tobreak the circuit again,

tion, the spring-head being in this case forced downward by the post-arm 24' and strikes the arm 44 from below, thus driving the tube 1' upward and disengaging the plungers from their sockets.

It will readily be seen that by adjusting the guide-rod 64 by means of the plate 84, and thus revolving the tube 1 on the standard, the plungers maybe arranged to make perfect contact with the plates forming their sockets. Moreover, the plungers being shaped as de l scribed and composed of phosphor-bronze, they maybe readily bent so that their contact-surface with their socket-plates may be i enlarged. By means of the clamping ends of the plate j the pl 11 n gers may also be vertically adjusted, so that they will leave and come in cont-act with their sockets simultaneously.

Having thus explained our invention, what we claim is 1. In an electric switch, the lever D, piv- I l E l I lever to said lever and bearing oted 011 the bolt 25 and provided with the retaining-spring 45, in combination with the spring 65, provided with the diagonally-arranged head 75, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electric switch, the combination of a table provided with a standard, a tube fitted to slide on said standard and bearing sheetmetal plungers,connector-plates on said table forming sockets for said plungers, a pivoted provided with a spring having a diagonally-arranged head, a post for distending said spring, and arms 011 said tube for receiving said spring as it leaves said post, whereby said plungers are actuated, substantially as described.

3. In a switch, the tube 2', fitted to slide on the standard h and provided with the clamping-plate j, in combination with the guiderod 64 and plate 84, whereby said clampingplate may be adjusted horizontally, substantially as described. 1

4. In an electric switch, the combination of a table provided with connector-plates bent to form plunger-sockets, a bed-plate provided with a standard, a tube fitted to slide on said standard and provided with. sheet-1netal plungers adapted to engage said sockets, a lever pivoted to said'table, a spring secured to said lever and provided with a cam-shaped head, a post on said bed-plate for engaging said cam-head and distending the spring, and arms on said tubeprojecting into the path of said spring, whereby the plungers may be forced into contact with or disconnected from their sockets, substantially as described.

5. In an electric switch, the combination of the table A, provided with the connectorplates 1) q, bent to form sockets 15, the bedplate f, provided with the standard it and post 14, the lever D, the spring 65, having the cam-head 75, the tube 2', provided with the clamping-plate j, and arms 44 and 54, projecting into the path of said spring, the plungers Z, adjustably secured in said clamping-plates, and the guide-rod 64 and plate 84, whereby said plungers may be adjusted horizontally, all being arranged to operate substantially as set forth. I

6. In an electric switch, a pivoted lever provided with a spring having a cam-shaped head, in combination with a standard for engaging and distending said spring when the lever is moved, and a tension-spring secured upon the pivot thereof, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

FRANKLIN A. XVELLER. ADOLPH F. RIETZEL.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. McOoNNELL, G. H. QUAID. 

